Posted in Car Accident,Negligence,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on June 10, 2015
1 Dead, 1 Injured in Car Accidents near Cookeville over the Weekend
A hit-and-run accident in Cumberland County Saturday afternoon caused a teenage boy to suffer serious injuries while another car accident claimed the life of a 24-year-old woman.
A report from Cookeville’s Herald-Citizen newspaper states that the Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating both accidents. The first accident occurred in White County, Tennessee, when the 24-year-old woman was riding in a 1999 Jeep driven by another woman.
According to police, the vehicle left the roadway on Gum Springs Mountain Road and rolled multiple times, causing the 24-year-old woman to be ejected from the vehicle.
She wasn’t wearing her seatbelt at the time of the accident. Charges are pending at this time.
The second accident occurred when the driver of a blue Chevrolet pickup truck struck a 15-year-old boy around 4:30 p.m. on Plateau Road in Cumberland County and then fled the scene of the accident. Witnesses say the truck is a 1990s model S-10 that is lowered in the back.
The boy who was struck during the accident suffered serious injuries but is expected to make a recovery.
Matt Hardin Law’s team of Cookeville car accident lawyers express their condolences to the family of the woman who was killed over the weekend, and we also hope the young man who was injured in the hit-and-run accident experiences a complete recovery.
How Do Police Investigate Car Accidents?
After car accidents, it’s up to police to arrive at the scene and make a detailed description of what happened in their official police report of the accident. In addition, they also may further investigate the accident if they suspect that it was caused by negligent or even criminal behavior, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving recklessly, or driving with the intent to cause harm to another person.
Police investigate car accidents for negligent or criminal behavior by:
Although police take statements from people who were involved in the accident, witness statements are often more reliable, as it’s less likely that their memories will be clouded due to the confusion and panic caused by the accident itself. Witness statements can help police determine the events that caused the accident in the first place, including whether a driver was speeding, ran a red light, or was driving recklessly. They can also help police locate hit-and-run drivers due to vehicle descriptions.
In many cases, simply viewing the impact of two vehicles colliding can help police piece together what happened during the accident. For example, a vehicle that was T-boned at an intersection may have been hit by a driver running a red light, while a vehicle that was hit head-on at an intersection may have been turning left without having the right of way.
One of the most common causes of serious car accidents is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. When police arrive at the scene of a car accident, one of their top priorities is making sure that none of the drivers involved in the accident are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If they suspect a driver is intoxicated, they will make him or her undergo a field sobriety test or test that person’s blood alcohol level using their breath or blood. Drivers who fail these tests are charged with driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated.
Drunk drivers caused nearly 75,000 accidents in Tennessee in the past 10 years, and almost 1,100 wrecks in Putnam County alone. At Matt Hardin Law, our Cookeville car accident attorneys fight hard for the rights of injured victims, and we know that drunk drivers can leave innocent victims facing painful, debilitating injuries and expensive medical bills that they might not be able to afford.
Get in touch with our experienced legal team today by dialing (931) 754-1188 or by completing our online consultation form. It’s our goal to give you the dedicated and determined legal representation you and you family deserve.
